Premium Plus worth it?

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Hi, I am a first time cruiser and am wondering about a couple of items listed on the premium plus  add on.  

 

From what I can see of the menus most breakfast options on the ship allow orange juice etc with breakfast as an included item.  The PP add on notes access to fresh juices as part of extra benefits, so what are the incremental juice options?

 

also, for the mimosas with breakfast if you have the PP add on can you specify to have the higher quality champagne used in the mimosa?

 Can you get a glass of veuve with your breakfast?

We didn't have the Premium+ so we didn't order fresh juice, however we found that if we ordered a Mimosa, it sure tasted like fresh squeezed and it was free. Every time we ordered a cocktail in the buffet, the waiter would go to the bar to get it, so I think you could get Veuve at breakfast. 

[ggTexasGal]

15 minutes ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Hi, I am a first time cruiser and am wondering about a couple of items listed on the premium plus  add on.  

 

From what I can see of the menus most breakfast options on the ship allow orange juice etc with breakfast as an included item.  The PP add on notes access to fresh juices as part of extra benefits, so what are the incremental juice options?

 

also, for the mimosas with breakfast if you have the PP add on can you specify to have the higher quality champagne used in the mimosa?

 Can you get a glass of veuve with your breakfast?

The availability of Vueve might be limited, depending on restaurant locations, but it doesn't hurt to ask.  You could still ask for "upgraded selection of champagne" in your mimosa.

We had the PP package Nov 2019 (so things might have changed for future cruises). At that time, I was able to get blended fresh squeezed juices. One example: Pineapple, Orange and Carrot (in a large plastic cup) from the "Juice Bar" near the Garden Cafe.

[Calvin]

33 minutes ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Hi, I am a first time cruiser and am wondering about a couple of items listed on the premium plus  add on.  

 

From what I can see of the menus most breakfast options on the ship allow orange juice etc with breakfast as an included item.  The PP add on notes access to fresh juices as part of extra benefits, so what are the incremental juice options?

 

also, for the mimosas with breakfast if you have the PP add on can you specify to have the higher quality champagne used in the mimosa?

 Can you get a glass of veuve with your breakfast?

I will be shocked out of my gourde if you can't have the higher level of champagne in your mimosas! That's one of the reasons why I've decided to upgrade. I have 2 favorite drinks on NCL - glacier blue and blackberry bourbon thingy (in the Maltings Bar), and I could not love those drinks more.  But outside of those, I'm going to ask for the premium plus level drinks in everything else. This means Veuve Clicquot (BTW, I read that it's pronounced "Vuv", not "Voove", as most people say). I will try it by saying "Vuv", but if the bartenders look at me like I'm an idiot (probably rightfully so), I will then pronounce it "Voove". I also plan to ask for Patron anejo in my margaritas.  Of course, they will be able to put anything in my drinks and I won't be able to tell the difference, but a man can dream and pretend...

[phillygwm]

5 hours ago, Calvin said:

I also plan to ask for Patron anejo in my margaritas.  Of course, they will be able to put anything in my drinks and I won't be able to tell the difference, but a man can dream and pretend...

And Cointreau instead of Triple Sec 🙂

 

[WarfRatWA]

20 hours ago, Calvin said:

I will be shocked out of my gourde if you can't have the higher level of champagne in your mimosas! That's one of the reasons why I've decided to upgrade. I have 2 favorite drinks on NCL - glacier blue and blackberry bourbon thingy (in the Maltings Bar), and I could not love those drinks more.  But outside of those, I'm going to ask for the premium plus level drinks in everything else. This means Veuve Clicquot (BTW, I read that it's pronounced "Vuv", not "Voove", as most people say). I will try it by saying "Vuv", but if the bartenders look at me like I'm an idiot (probably rightfully so), I will then pronounce it "Voove". I also plan to ask for Patron anejo in my margaritas.  Of course, they will be able to put anything in my drinks and I won't be able to tell the difference, but a man can dream and pretend...

I always struggled with the pronunciation of that fine libation.  Then I watched this guy below and now I nail it.  He pronounces it "Verv".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4W6n8BwChU

 

[KAYKAY121]

On 9/28/2021 at 5:57 PM, Calvin said:

How about an opinion from a (relative) non-drinker? I will imbibe from time to time during the year but I am NOT a sophisticated drinker AT ALL.  I promise you I could take a blind taste test of the "bottom of the barrel" rot gut, supermarket, unknown brand of tequila and various upscale tequilas like Patron Anejo and Don Julio, and I would only be guessing at the "higher quality" brand.  The same goes for champagne.

 

There is a financial consideration as well as an emotional consideration.  Most don't "need" the premium plus package. Financially, I can easily rationalize the cost by saying I'll drink 2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot (@$35 each) with my breakfast to make it like a daily Sunday Brunch.  My wife enjoys Patron Anejo (@$25 each).  The added cost of the premium plus package is $58 per day for both of us, vs. the separate, non premium package drinks cost of $60.  The financial investment decision is easy to make.

 

Then there's the emotional consideration:  In my case, I've never ever been afforded the opportunity to drink an unlimited number of high end drinks, and though I'm a lightweight (even at 6'3" and 250 lbs.), I just want to feel like a King for a week because we are celebrating a huge event.  The premium plus package has already been ordered, and I will not regret it, despite the fact that I have never tasted Veuve Clicquot.  I did see a list of the premium plus drinks and noticed they had Inniskillin (Ice Wine) on there, and THAT I know I like!

 

LOL, "worth it" is such an incredibly subjective term. I'm sure you could ask the same question about cabins. IE Is a balcony, or suite, or Haven cabin worth it?  You will get a million answers, and that's part of what makes cruising, and lots of other things, great!

Great Post! I am a Veuve Clickyclicky drinker when I want to spend that for Champs.  MOET a& Chandon is quite worth it too. But Ciroc is on there and the bottles for dinner make it the best decision for us. I would be happy without the premium pkg. But paying up front vs at the end is a better decision for us.

 

Edited October 2, 2021 by KAYKAY121
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[Calvin]

3 hours ago, WarfRatWA said:

I always struggled with the pronunciation of that fine libation.  Then I watched this guy below and now I nail it.  He pronounces it "Verv".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4W6n8BwChU

 

Oh boy, now I've got 3 different pronounciations to worry about. I think I'll just say "May I have a glass of the most expensive champagne you have?", or "Gimme the most expensive champagne this upgraded card will buy".  Actually, maybe I should just give up and pronounce it "Mo-ay"?  Knowing me, I'll just ask the bartender "How do YOU pronounce this champagne?", just to avoid looking like a 60-year old teenager with a fake id card, and roll with that. 

[Calvin]

1 hour ago, KAYKAY121 said:

Great Post! I am a Veuve Clickyclicky drinker when I want to spend that for Champs.  MOET a& Chandon is quite worth it too. But Ciroc is on there and the bottles for dinner make it the best decision for us. I would be happy without the premium pkg. But paying up front vs at the end is a better decision for us.

 

I think you nailed it when you said "I would be happy without the premium pkg" because I certainly would too, but the added element of the premium-plus pkg (even though I see it as just another $ grab by cruise ships) is making me anticipate the sailing even more.  And paying up front is just another way the cruise "feels" like an all-inclusive event, even if they are going to make a nice profit from me. 

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Can anyone tell me what the non-alcholic sports/energy drinks are that are available with the premium plus package?  I have seen Red Bull mentioned.  I know you get bottled water.  

 

I don't like soda, Red Bull, regular/straight coffee or tea. But I am addicted to caffeine :-).   At home I drink something called Super Coffee (which isn't very common and I am sure will not be on the ship). Or Bai, which is like a caffeinated fruit drink.   I am hoping maybe that is available with premium plus?

 

[phillygwm]

5 hours ago, Calvin said:

 And paying up front is just another way the cruise "feels" like an all-inclusive event, even if they are going to make a nice profit from me. 
 

Exactly.  I want to treat myself well on vacation.  If I knew a bottle would cost me $100, as much as I might want it I won't treat myself QUITE that well 🙂  But if I can have unlimited glasses, that gets me where I need to be.

 

As for pronunciations, apparently Monsieur Moet was of Dutch origin, so it's mo-ETTE, as opposed to mow-AY.  But I doubt many of our bartenders are native French (or Dutch) speakers so they're probably no more expert than we are.  Suffice to say, after you have enough of them, whatever pronunciation you choose will be slurred anyway.

Edited October 2, 2021 by phillygwm

[UKstages]

9 hours ago, WarfRatWA said:

I always struggled with the pronunciation of that fine libation.  Then I watched this guy below and now I nail it.  He pronounces it "Verv".

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4W6n8BwChU

 

 

i speak french.  there is no "r" in "veuve."

 

spelling the word phonetically as "'verv" suggests it rhymes with the shorthand term for somebody who commits deviant acts. it doesn't. and it's not really pronounced "vuv," either, because most people would say that word as if it rhymed with "dove." and it doesn't.

 

it's "veuve," pronounced "vuhv."  the word means "widow," by the way, en français.

 

the problem with trying to phonetically spell the word in english is that we don't really have that "eu" sound in english. the closest we can come is this:

 

vuhv klee-ko

 

the word "verve" sorta kinda sounds like the "eu" sound in the word "veuve," which is most likely why the guy in the video includes "verv" in the captions. but you most definitely don't pronounce an "R" when saying "veuve." if you listen closely, he doesn't, either.

 

when asked to pronounce this word with a "R," just say "non."

[Calvin]

50 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

i speak french.  there is no "r" in "veuve."

 

spelling the word phonetically as "'verv" suggests it rhymes with the shorthand term for somebody who commits deviant acts. it doesn't. and it's not really pronounced "vuv," either, because most people would say that word as if it rhymed with "dove." and it doesn't.

 

it's "veuve," pronounced "vuhv."  the word means "widow," by the way, en français.

 

the problem with trying to phonetically spell the word in english is that we don't really have that "eu" sound in english. the closest we can come is this:

 

vuhv klee-ko

 

the word "verve" sorta kinda sounds like the "eu" sound in the word "veuve," which is most likely why the guy in the video includes "verv" in the captions. but you most definitely don't pronounce an "R" when saying "veuve." if you listen closely, he doesn't, either.

 

when asked to pronounce this word with a "R," just say "non."

I'm okay with Veuve meaning "widow", as long as Clicquot doesn't mean "maker". In that case, I'm out.

[Calvin]

1 hour ago, phillygwm said:

Exactly.  I want to treat myself well on vacation.  If I knew a bottle would cost me $100, as much as I might want it I won't treat myself QUITE that well 🙂  But if I can have unlimited glasses, that gets me where I need to be.

 

As for pronunciations, apparently Monsieur Moet was of Dutch origin, so it's mo-ETTE, as opposed to mow-AY.  But I doubt many of our bartenders are native French (or Dutch) speakers so they're probably no more expert than we are.  Suffice to say, after you have enough of them, whatever pronunciation you choose will be slurred anyway.

Damn, I'm just gonna use my finger to point to the menu...

[complawyer]

just make your  life easy:  gimme a glass of scotch on the rocks!

[Named-Tawny]

5 hours ago, Calvin said:

I'm okay with Veuve meaning "widow", as long as Clicquot doesn't mean "maker". In that case, I'm out.

Lol.  No, the Clicquot in the name is Mme Clicquot, who ran the house. She was, unfortunately (for her) and fortunately (for branding) a widow.

And, despite the NV's label clearly being orange, it's generally referred to as the 'yellow label'.

[Named-Tawny]

5 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

the problem with trying to phonetically spell the word in english is that we don't really have that "eu" sound in english. the closest we can come is this:

 

 

 It's funny, now that you mention it.  As a Canadian, I keep thinking to myself that it's pronounced exactly as it's spelled.

But then I forget that most non-french speaking people don't just understand french phonetics.  Whoops.

Edited October 3, 2021 by Named-Tawny

[UKstages]

55 minutes ago, Named-Tawny said:

Lol.  No, the Clicquot in the name is Mme Clicquot, who ran the house. She was, unfortunately (for her) and fortunately (for branding) a widow.

And, despite the NV's label clearly being orange, it's generally referred to as the 'yellow label'.

 

she was a very young widow, at age 27.
 

here are "thirteen things you should know about veuve clicquot"...

 

https://vinepair.com/articles/13-facts-veuve-clicquot-champagne/

[MarkusToe]

Got the Upgrade offer today.... Hmmm

1000 bucks is a lot to Drink for.... 

Looking to the drinks price list, the prices by glass are Outrageously expensive... 

The NL Champagner is about 24 us by glass, at MSC the same is 14.50

Same for wine,  some red i've seen on Seashore  the price is more than double on NCL

Is there something drinkable available? 

 

 

[phillygwm]

41 minutes ago, MarkusToe said:

Got the Upgrade offer today.... Hmmm

1000 bucks is a lot to Drink for.... 

 

It's a lot of money but I assume that $1000 is for 2 people over a 14-15 day cruise.  Still comes out to $35 pp/day so not THAT much to drink for.  I have confidence in you 🙂

 

[Calvin]

17 hours ago, UKstages said:

it's "veuve," pronounced "vuhv."  the word means "widow," by the way, en français.

 

Not to be pedantic (I know, it's too late for that) but I have no idea how to pronounce "vuhv". I would have rhymed it with "dove", but apparently, that's not the right way. Can anyone think of a word that rhymes with it in English?

[All-ready2cruise]

Veuve - voove, prove

[Calvin]

2 hours ago, MarkusToe said:

Got the Upgrade offer today.... Hmmm

1000 bucks is a lot to Drink for.... 

Looking to the drinks price list, the prices by glass are Outrageously expensive... 

The NL Champagner is about 24 us by glass, at MSC the same is 14.50

Same for wine,  some red i've seen on Seashore  the price is more than double on NCL

Is there something drinkable available? 

 

 

I agree with Phillygwm. Ultimately, it's $35pp per day. Just pace yourself. Don't try to be a hero.

 

I'd be willing to bet that I have a lower tolerance level than you, and I'm going for it. My best friend is a sommelier (or so he says), and he will make comments ~ I can taste the berries, nuts, wood, etc. When he makes me taste wine, my comment is usually "I taste grapes and alcohol", so I really don't have the pallette for it.

 

To give you an idea of how obsessive I'm being over the upcoming cruise, I saw a list of upgraded wines and, other than Inniskillin and Moet, never heard of any of these, so I googled each bottle, just to see what was supposed to be most expensive, to try to get my money's worth. Challenge very much accepted.

[kenzie]

Can we get unlimited Starbucks coffee if we upgrade to premium 

[Calvin]

3 minutes ago, kenzie said:

Can we get unlimited Starbucks coffee if we upgrade to premium 

I, literally, went to an online chat with NCL, and they said YES, but it's for the "premium-plus" pkg.

[UKstages]

4 hours ago, Calvin said:

Not to be pedantic (I know, it's too late for that) but I have no idea how to pronounce "vuhv". I would have rhymed it with "dove", but apparently, that's not the right way. Can anyone think of a word that rhymes with it in English?

 

4 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

Veuve - voove, prove

 

 

it most definitely does not rhyme with "prove." wrong vowel sound.

 

see posts #86 and #91 above for an explanation... essentially, the "eu" sound doesn't really exist in american english.  but it is similar to the vowel sound in the word "push." so here's what you do... just say "push," but remove the "P," remove the "S," and put a "V" on either side.

 

vuhv